


Day Sixty-Three || Neighbors

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [63]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Car Accidents, Character Death, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 07:29:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18006503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: Things had been so picturesque when they were kids. But life rarely lets that last. Best friends a stone's throw apart can suddenly seem miles away.





	Day Sixty-Three || Neighbors

She doesn’t really remember their first house. Just...vague impressions. They’d only lived there for a little over five of her years, after all.

When her mother was gone...they left. It no longer felt like home without her.

They didn’t move far - the same city, but another residential district. A nicer one, if anything. At first Hiashi had insisted on living closer to work, which meant closer to the business part of town. But...once he became a single father, his priorities shifted. Just a bit. He still had the same job. Hired a nanny in the interim. But their neighborhood was...nicer. Cleaner. More spacious. They got a yard - more than the tiny patches of grass in front of and in back of the previous place.

And it’s here they stay.

Still adjusting to life without her mother, Hinata finds the additional change all the more confusing and unsettling. She tries to cling to the only other constant, but...her father is far too busy. Still working, and...closed off. At least before he’d been a bit warm whenever he was (rarely) around. But now he looks at her, and gets this... _ look _ on his face.

She doesn’t understand.

Their nanny is actually a cousin - not one Hinata knows, but someone Hiashi deems trustworthy. She feeds and cleans and cares for them both: Hinata, and the little baby. Hanabi, she’s called. For now, Hinata still doesn’t understand the connection and causation between the baby and her mother. It had taken a few weeks for the complications to take effect, after all.

All she knows is that now, she has a baby sister...but no mother.

The house next to theirs is perhaps a little bigger. Another family lives there: a mother, father, and two sons. One five years Hinata’s senior, and the other her age. The day they’d moved in, the mother had come by to offer help and a warm welcome. Her husband had been on a business trip, her boys trailing behind her curiously.

“Looks like we’re neighbors!” Mikoto had enthused. “Is it...just the three of you?”

“Yes,” had been Hiashi terse reply. “...we lost my wife this past month.”

A horrified hand lifted to hide her mouth. “I...I’m so sorry. If there’s anything you need, please! Let me know!”

“...thank you.”

They’ve been moved in a week now, and Hinata is to start school at her new kindergarten. There’s not much time left in this school year, but perhaps that’s for the best: give her a smaller introduction to the kids she’ll be in school with from now on, having entered a new district in their city.

One of them is the neighbor boy. Sasuke, as she learns he’s called. Next year, they’ll attend the same elementary Itachi is now - his elder brother.

With his face being the most familiar, it’s him she deigns to sit next to, silently tucking herself into a corner.

“...hey.”

“Hi…”

For a while, they form a wordless friendship. Nothing established: they just silently agree to do things together. Recess, lunch, activities for class.

Then Summer break arrives.

Hinata spends all her spare time at the Uchiha house. Eventually her nanny just gives up trying to keep her home, instead focusing on the baby. More often than not, Hinata eats dinner with the family, not missed by Hiashi as he works late nights. So long as she’s back before he gets home, tucked into bed, he doesn’t even seem to notice.

The new school the following Fall doesn’t see them change much. Itachi moves into junior high, but the younger pair still stick together like glue...much to the chagrin of other girls. But neither of them seem to mind.

...everything is fine until the following Summer. Hinata still makes herself at home on the other side of the fence. Both brothers seem to relish in having a pseudo-sister.

But the end of July sees tragedy strike.

Trying to go over one morning, Hinata finds the house...oddly empty. Funny, no one told her they would be away. Maybe something came up?

They’re still gone the next day.

...and then the next.

Sitting on the front step with her chin in her hands, Hinata looks up as a car pulls into the driveway. But...it’s neither of the vehicles she recognizes.

A kind of knowing - but not understanding - brews in her gut.

From the driver’s seat emerges a woman she’s never seen before. She looks...similar to Mikoto, and yet...different. Taller, a bit thinner in her build. But they have the same eyes, which look to her in surprise.

From the front seat comes a boy she’s only seen a handful of times: Itachi and Sasuke’s cousin, Shisui. Three years older than Itachi, he’s already a freshman in high school.

Then the rear doors open, and the brothers step out.

Expression still worried, Hinata ignores the adult and moves around to Sasuke’s side. “...Sasuke…?”

His face is...hollow. Dark circles rest under his eyes, and he doesn’t even look up at her.

Panic starts to bloom, but cuts off as Itachi comes to put a hand on her shoulder. His own face is wilted with sadness, and pain. “...come with me.”

Stumbling aside as she half-fights his guidance, Hinata sees Sasuke go inside with the rest of his family. “...where’s everyone else?”

The question only sees Itachi wither further. “...Hinata...a few days ago, our parents died in a car crash.”

Her heart stills.

“...our aunt Manami is here to stay with us. She’s going to move here, with Shisui. There’s...a lot more that has to happen. It’s a lot I don’t understand yet, but it’s important. Sasuke, he…” A pause. “...we’re all...having a hard time.”

“Is he okay?”

“...no. Maybe he will be later, but...he loved our parents very much. We all did, of course...but he’s taking this the hardest. I...I know this might not be something you want to hear, but...could you give him some space? Just for now? We need to be together as a family. And...you’re a very good friend, Hinata. But this is something we have to face ourselves. Do you understand?”

“...so...I have to leave?”

“Just for now. I’m sorry. You’re our very good friend, Hinata. Please don’t forget that.”

...she doesn’t understand, but...Hinata agrees. Heading back home, she herself feels numb. She’d been so young when her mother died...it hadn’t quite sunk in the way this seems to.

Her nanny asks what’s going on, and a few words explain. Hand at her mouth, she tries to express condolences, but Hinata doesn’t want to hear it. Up to her bedroom she flees, tossing atop her bed face-down.

...the Uchiha felt like family. Things had felt...normal there. Not like here. With no mother. A father who’s hardly ever home, and who seems to wish she would disappear.

And now...they’re gone too.

Why does everyone good have to leave…?!

She waits as long as she can stand it, but...trying to go over, no one answers the door. The next time, Shisui opens it, but says Sasuke doesn’t want to come play.

School starts.

...it’s like they’re strangers.

Her greeting goes ignored. He sits across the room from her. At recess, he lingers in corners with books, refusing to speak to her. To anyone.

And it only gets worse with time.

Sasuke retreats into himself. He takes to his studies almost obsessively, refusing to bond with anyone. Hinata can only watch from the sidelines as his attire darkens. There’s always music playing in his ears. Every so often, a new glint of silver peers out from his skin. Despite his good studies, fights start to break out as they get older.

All too soon, it feels like a movie. Quiet girl next door, and closed-off bad boy. And still, after all this time...he treats her like a ghost.

The Summer between their sophomore and junior years starts like any other. Hinata mostly stays home and tends to floral projects. Sasuke is gone at all hours of the night, and never emerges otherwise.

Window open to let in a breeze as she prunes a ficus she’s been tending, Hinata pauses as a sound makes its way into her room. It’s quiet, but...it sounds like music? Rising and moving to her sill, her head leans out, trying to find it. There’s no cars going by with their radios blaring, and it’s too consistent.

Instead, she looks up to see the window across from hers alight for once, despite the early evening hour. 

It’s Sasuke’s room.

The pane is open, curtains pulled apart and giving a view into the space. It’s dimly lit, and she can see band posters along the walls. Sitting atop his bed, the youngest Uchiha stares down at something in his arms, fingers plucking at it.

...a...guitar?

Trying her best to be silent, she can hear the soft notes from the strings. It’s a quiet, somber tune. And something about it seems...familiar. A song she’s not heard for quite some time. For several long minutes she listens, not realizing her staring or expression.

Not until he stops and looks up.

Jolting back in surprise, she knocks her head against the window frame, earning a yelp of pain. Cradling the sore spot in her hands, she mumbles light profanities under her breath before looking up, one eye still pinched shut.

He’s staring at her, brow furrowed.

...she can’t tell if he looks angry, or concerned.

Setting aside the instrument, he moves to his own window, leaning out blank-faced. “...graceful,” he teases.

“You s-startled me!”

“That’s what you get for staring, Hyūga.”

A blink. Since when did he call her that…?

“So?”

“...so what?”

“What’d you think?”

Another blink. “...of...the song?”

“No, of the weather. Of course the song.”

A bit of flustered temper rises in her for a moment - he’s being such a jerk! “...it was v-very pretty. I...thought I recognized it, but -”

“It was my mom’s favorite song.”

Another jerk of surprise, but not enough to wallop herself again. As soon as he says it, it clicks. Mikoto used to listen to that song all the time when they were little. She’d even teach them how to dance to it…Hinata can remember standing on her feet as she laughed, spinning them around the kitchen. It had reminded her of -

“Her birthday was a few weeks ago. Got the urge to learn it. Think I’ve about got it down.”

Brought up out of the memory, she hesitates. It’s funny...she feels like she should be more excited he’s talking to her again. But...in a way, it almost feels like they never stopped. “...it sounded really good, Sasuke.”

“...wanna hear it again?”

She nods.

“Hold on.” Moving back in, he grabs the guitar before sticking a leg out the window!

“W-wait!”

“...what?”

“W-what are you doing?”

“...sitting on the sill? I do it all the time - I won’t fall.”

“...but…”

“You worry too much, Hyūga.” Adjusting himself, Sasuke tests the strings before starting the melody again.

All at once, more memories start to play in her mind. So many times spent in the house across the fence, with the family that felt more like hers than her own. Eyes closed to listen, she doesn’t notice a few tears eek out past her lids.

...and then...the visions go back further.

Just barely, she can see Hanako. Her smile. Her kinds eyes. The pride in her face as she cradled her belly. 

_ “Soon, Hinata...you’ll have a new little sister! I can’t wait to see you both grow up into beautiful young women…” _

“...I’d rather still have you,” she admits in a whisper, feeling great guilt for the words, but...no regret. Even now the sisters are more like strangers. Hinata has known for a while now why Hiashi looks to her the way he does. 

She looks just like  _ her _ . The way Hanabi looks exactly like Hiashi. It’s why she gets all the attention. All their father’s spare time.

...and she gets nothing.

Sound fades into silence, and Hinata lets her eyes flutter open.

“...so?”

“...perfect.”

“Hn.”

“Sasuke…”

“What?”

“...can we...do this again?”

“...this?”

“Or...do we have to go back to pretending tomorrow? Will it be like this n-never happened? I don’t...I don’t know if I can go back to that.” Honest pale eyes look to him imploringly. “...I miss you, Sasuke. I miss...all of you. I miss  _ them _ . I know...not as much as you do. Never that. But...I miss my family.” The sting of tears threatens to let them build. “...I want to come home.”

Surprise wipes Sasuke’s face clean in a way that makes him look ten years younger. For a moment, he’s the same wide-eyed boy that came to greet her that April day.

“...then come home.”

**Author's Note:**

> OOF this one made me cry. That last line took my heart out, stomped on it, and then left me to drown in my own tears T^T
> 
> I love this trope - I was so excited to see it for today. I wanted to do a lot more (as is the case with a lot of these prompts), but...maybe it'll be one I revist when the challenge is all said and done. For now though, this is all I have time for.
> 
> And speaking of being out of time, that's all I've got for tonight! Hope you enjoyed - thanks for reading!


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